GRAPHS DATA STRCUTURE

Definition and Concepts

A graph G consists of non-empty set V called the set of nodes (points,vertices) of the graph, a set E which is the set of edges of the graph, and a mapping from the set of edges E to a set of pairs of elements of V.

G = (V, E)

We shall assume throughout that both sets V and E are finite. Every edge of the graph G, we can associate a pair of nodes(u, v) where u, v belong to set V, then we say that the edge x connects the nodes u and v. Any two nodes which are connected by an edge in a graph are called adjacent nodes.

In a graph G = (V, E), an edge is directed from one node to another node is called directed edge. A graph in which every node has directed edges is called directed graph, or a digraph. An edge which has no specific direction is called undirected edge. A graph which consists of undirected edges is called undirected graph. A graph which consists of both directed and undirected graphs is called a mixed graph.

A city map showing only the one-way streets is an example of directed graphs where the intersections are the nodes and the streets are the edges. Similarly a city map showing only the two-way streets is an example of undirected graphs. A city map showing both the one-way and two-way roads is an example of mixed graphs.

In the above image, we find the examples of directed and undirect graphs. Using this, we can also form a mixed graph. The directed edges are shown by arrow indicators. 

Let (V, E) be a graph and let x, an element of the set E be an edge associated with a ordered pair of nodes(u, v). Then, the edge x is said to initiating or originating in the node u and terminating in the node v.The nodes u and v are the initial and terminal nodes respectively. 

An edge of a graph which joins a node to itself is called a loop. The direction of the loop is of no significance. Therefore it can be considered a directed or undirected edge. 

In some directed as well as undirected graphs, we may have a certain pair of nodes joined by more than one edge. Such edges are called parallel. 

Any graph which contains a parallel edge is multigraph.

The graphs with parallel edges can be represented by the second diagram in which the number on any edge shows the multiplicity of the edge.

We may also consider the multiplicity as a weight assigned to an edge. A graph in which weights are assigned to every edge is called weighted graph.

A graph representing a system of pipelines, in which the weights assigned indicate some type of commodity transferred through pipe is an example of weighted graph. Similarly, a graph of city streets representing the traffic density can be considered as a weighted graph.

In a graph, a node which is not adjacent to any other node is called an isolated node. A graph containing only isolated nodes is called a null graph.

In a graph, the number of edges connected to v as initial node are called the outdegree of node v. The number of edges connected to v as terminal node are called indegree of node v. The sum of indegree and outdegree of nodes is called the total degree of node v.  

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